B-Sens Weekly: It's a holiday hat trick for Da Costa

The Binghamton Senators would depart for their Christmas break on a sour note as they were shut out by the Albany Devils 3-0 at the Times Union Center last Wednesday. It was the fifth time this season the B-Sens have been blanked. Vladimir Zharkov scored a goal and added a pair of assists. Nick Palmieri and Joe Sova also scored for the Devils. Keith Kinkaid started in goal for Albany, making 36 saves to earn his second shutout victory of the season. Mike McKenna tended goal for Binghamton, turning aside 41 of the 43 shots he faced.

The Binghamton Senators came roaring back after the Christmas holiday, handing the Devils an 8-3 loss Monday night at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Seven different B-Sens registered multi-point games: Stephane Da Costa (3-0-3), Corey Cowick (1-2-3), Mike Hoffman (1-1-2), Corey Locke (1-1-2), Mark Parrish (1-1-2), Mark Borowieck (0-2-2) and Rob Klinkhammer (0-2-2). Tim Conboy also scored for the B-Sens. Joe Whitney scored a goal and added a pair of assists for the Devils. Eric Gelinas and Mike Sislo also added goals for Albany. Mike McKenna made his fifth straight start in goal for the B-Sens, stopping 36 of 39 shots. Keith Kinkaid started in goal for the Devils, but was chased from the net in the third period after allowing six goals on 22 shots. Timo Pielmeier made eight saves in relief.

Record: 12-19-1-1

Standings: The B-Sens are in fifth place in the East Division (26 points).

The Binghamton Senators travel to Glens Falls tonight for a 7 p.m. tilt against the Northeast Division’s Phantoms. The game will be the fourth of eight meetings between the two teams. The B-Sens are 3-0-0-0 against the Phantoms so far this season and have outscored them 12-4.

Adirondack enters the week in third place in the Northeast Division with a record of 15-12-1-1 and 32 points, just one point behind second place Albany.

Former Binghamton Senator Denis Hamel continues to lead the Phantoms in scoring with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists). Hamel ranks third overall in the American Hockey League in shots on goal, having fired 116 pucks on net through 29 games played.

The B-Sens will close out 2011 with a home-and-home series against the East Division rival Syracuse Crunch.

Syracuse is 12-13-2-1, ranking them fourth overall in the East Division with 27 points, just one point ahead of the fifth place B-Sens. The teams last met in Syracuse on Nov. 25, a 4-1 B-Sens loss.

Patrick Maroon currently leads the Crunch in scoring with 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists). Kyle Palmieri (17-9-26) and Nick Bonino (6-16-22) rank second and third, respectively, in scoring for the Crunch, but currently remain on recall to the Anaheim Ducks.

SENS SNIPPETS …

Forward Stephane Da Costa scored his first professional hat trick in Monday’s 8-3 victory over the Albany Devils. In 12 games with the B-Sens this season, Da Costa has scored five goals and seven assists for 12 points.